Ironing machine cabinet



May 12, 1942. E. .1. TE PAS ET AL IRONING MACHINE CABINET Filed March 16, 1953, s Sheets-Sheet 1 WWBM M MON a 2 r T L;

y 1942- E. J. TE PAS ET AL 2,232,906

IRONING MACH INE CABINET Filed Marolf 16, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR5 3 fDMu/VDI 7'5 P85.

LEL/O H. Born/v54,

T465 ATTOR Y May 12, 1942. E. .1. TE PAS ET AL IRONING MACHINE CABINET Filed March 16, 1953 s Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented May 12, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE IRONING MACHINE CABINET Edmund J. Te Pas, Rocky River, Lelio A. Bottinelli, East Cleveland, and John J. McCabe, Cleveland, Ohio, assignors to The Apex Electrical Manufacturing Ohio, a corporation Ohio Application March 16, 1933, Serial No. 661,002

3 Claims.

This invention relates to ironing machines and in particular to cabinet structures for such inachines.

One of the objects of this invention is the provision of a cabinet type ironing machine having a cover movable to a lower open position where it is out of the way of the operator:

Another object of this invention is the provision of an ironing machine cabinet structure having a cover secured to the cabinet structure for both bodily and pivotal movement with respect thereto.

A further object of this invention is the provision of an ironing machine cabinet in which the ironing mechanism is fixedly carried on a supporting structure to which a cabinet cover is secured for movement to an open position where one of its side walls can be conveniently used as a work shelf for receiving articles that have been ironed.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangcment, and combination of parts, hereinafter illustrated and described in some of its embodiments in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a side elevational view of the rear of an ironing machine cabinet illustrating one form of the invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of one end of the machine shown in Figure 1, with the cabinet in its closed position.

Figure 3 is a view corresponding to Figure 2 with the machine shown in its open position.

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken on line 4-4, Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of the front of an ironing machine illustrating another form of the invention and showing the cabinet in its closed position.

Figure 6 is a view corresponding to Figure 5 and showing the cabinet in its open position.

Figure '7 is a sectional view taken on line '|l,

Company, Cleveland,

section showing yet another form of cabinet construction.

Figure 12 is a side elevational view taken of the rear of the machine shown in Figure 12 and illustrating certain details of the cover securement means.

The form of the invention illustrated by the machine shown in Figures 1 and 4 inclusive, is applied to an ironing machine having a padded roll I and an electrically heated shoe 2 operatively associated with each other. An electric motor 3 drives suitable roll and shoe operating mechanism carried in the gear case 4. The elec-- tric motor 3 and the heating element of the shoe are arranged to be connected with a source of electrical current supply by means of a cable 5 which leads to a cut-out switch 6 within the gear case. The switch has an operating member I extending therefrom for engagement with the part 8 carried by the wall 8 of the cover 9 for the purpose of disconnecting the motor and shoe from the source of current supply when the machine is in its closed and inoperative position. The numeral 5 indicates the cable connecting the shoe 2 to the switch 6.

The roll and shoe and the operating parts of the machine are supported by suitable end members I 0 and H having casters I2 at theirlower extremities. These end members are secured to the bed plate l3 of the machine. The box-like cover 9 is mounted on the machine for movement from a position inclosing the roll and shoe to an open position to the rear of the machine where it is out of the way of the operator. The cover is provided with a table-top it available for use when the cabinet is closed.

A link i5 is provided one at each end of the cover for connecting the cover to the end membersl0 and II. One end of each link is pivoted at I6 to the associated end member and its opposite end is pivoted at I! to the cover. The lower rear part of the cover is provided at its opposite ends with a bolt l8 carrying a roller l9. These rollers are received in guide-ways 20, one of which is provided at each of the corresponding ends of the machine.

. The machine cover is open at its rear side and a fixed panel 2| is carried by the supporting structure of the machine at this point. Springs 22 secured at one end to the rear panel 2| and at their opposite ends to the bolts iii, are provided to counterbalance the weight of the cover when in its open position. These springs are under very slight tension when the cover is closed. When the cover is shifted from closed to open position the springs oppose the latter part of this movement and are thus stretched and serve to counterbalance the weight of the cover to facilitate both the opening and closing thereof.

In shifting the cover to its open position the pivotal points of the links or levers l are located so that the cover moves first upwardly and then rearwardly and downwardly, the rollers l9 and guideways functioning mainly during the latter part of this movement. This arrangement permits the front wall of the cover being brought closer to the mechanism of the machine than would be possible if the cover were pivoted to the supporting structure at its lower rear edge as no great allowance need be left for the clearance of the mechanism by the lower edge of the front wall of the cover.

By reason of allowing the cover to drop down height is provided for receiving articles before or after ironing. The lowering of the cover when in its open position also decreases the tendency machines of this type have for tipping over when the cover is in its open position as the weight of the cover is located much nearer to the base of the machine than it would be if the cover were pivoted for ninety degree movement about one of its edges.

When the cabinet is in its open position the cut-out switch 6 can be operated to connect the machine to a source of electrical current supply. When the cover is moved to its closed position the part 8 of the cover wall engages the operating member of the switch, shifting it to its closed switch position. This safety feature reduces the fire hazards in the use of the machine and prevents the burning of the padded roll by reason of failure to disconnect the shoe heating element from the electrical supply line when the machine is closed up after use.

Figures 5 to 10 inclusive illustrate another form of the invention in which a padded roll and a heated shoe 26 are carried upon a base member 21 supported by legs 28 carried at the four corners thereof, such legs being provided at their lower ends with casters 30. The ironin members of the machine are operated by means of an electric motor'3l. The shoe is provided at 29 with the customary electrical heating element.

Control switches having operating members 32 and 33 are provided for respectively controlling the operation of the motor and the heating element of the shoe.

A box-like cover 34 having a table-top 35 is slidably and pivotally carried by the base member 21. One end wall 36 of the cover is pivotally and slidably connected to the table-top of the cover. When this end wall is moved to the dotted line position shown in Figure 5 the cover can be slid to its dotted line position as shown in this figure, whereupon it can be tilted to the position shown in Figure 6 and the machine is then in its open and uncovered position.

The end wall 36 is pivotally attached at 31 to a rod 38 extending across the width of the tabletop and having rollers 40 at its ends received in channeled guideways 4| carried by the table-top of the cover. Rollers 42 engaging the base 21, are journaled in the lower portion of the front and rear panels of the cover to facilitate its sliding movement. .A pair of channeled members 43 are pivoted at 44 to the base member of the fixed to the cover. The rollers 42 and their supporting members provide stops for the channeled members 43 so that when the cover is shifted to the dotted line position shown in Figure 5, the rollers 42 and their supporting members engage the ends of the channeled members 43 and prevent further sliding movement of the cover while at the same time facilitating the tilting of the cover to the position shown in Figure 6.

The cover 34 is provided with a switch operating arm 46 for contacting with the operatin member 33 of the switch which controls the current supply of the heating element of the shoe. This arrangement provides an important safety feature as it prevents accidental or inadvertent operation of the heating element when the machine is in its closed position.

The form of construction shown in Figures 11 and 12 illustrative of the invention, comprises a base member 50 having supporting legs 5| secured at its four corners. Suitable ironing mechanism comprising a heated shoe 52 and a padded roll 53 are carried by the base member. A combined gear case and motor housing 54 is carried by the base member at one end of the machine. The operation of the roll and the heating of the shoe are controlled by means of suitable switches, the operating member of the switch for the heating element of the shoe being shown at 55.

Themachine is provided with a box-like cover 56 having a table-top 51 secured thereto. The cover is provided with a reinforcing band 58 carried inside of the cover. The cover is mounted for movement on the supporting structure by means of a pair of links or levers 60, 6| provided at each end of the machine. The lower ends of the levers 60 are pivoted at 62 to the supporting structure of the machine and their upper ends are fixedly secured to a rod 59 which is pivoted at 63 to the lower rear part of the cover. The lower ends of the links or levers 6| are pivoted at 64 to the rear part of the supporting structure and their opposite ends are pivoted at 65 to the reinforcing member 58 at a point about midway between the front and rear walls of the cover. Considerable rigidity is added to the structure by the expedient of tying the levers 60 to each other by means of the cross member 59.

The levers 6| have extended portions which are notched at 66 to engage the one end of the springs 61 which at their other ends are secured to the front upper part of the cover. With the cabinet in its closed position as shown in full lines in Figure 11, when it is shifted to the dotted line position shown in this view, the cover is first moved upwardly and then rearwardly and downwardly. This compound motion permits the locating of the cover walls very close to the operating parts of the machine.

When the cover is shifted to its open position it drops down a substantial distance thereby decreasing the tendency of the machine to tip over. The extended portions of the levers 6| serve to increase the tension in the springs 61 when the cover is moved to its open or the dotted line position illustrated in Figure 11, and the springs serve to counterbalance the weight of the cover so that it may be shifted to its closed position wtith very slight effort on the part of the opera or.

By referring to Figures 11 and 12 of the drawings, it will be seen that the links or levers 60 are pivotally connected to the rear lower corners of the cover and to the stand or supporting structure at points an appreciable distance below the top thereof, permitting the cover to have an independent pivotal movement about the connections of said links with the cover and a bodily movement about the lower connections of said links with the stand to a position at the rear of and below the stand. The second pair of links or levers 6| are pivotally connected to the cover, and pivotally connected to the stand at a point adjacent the top of the stand, which point, when the cover is closed, is located closely adjacent to and substantially coincident with the axis of the connections of the first pair of links with the cover for rotating the'cover during its bodily movement to position its front wall in a substantially horizontal plane. When the cover is moved from its closed to its open position, which positions are shown respectively in full and in dotted lines in Figure 11, the extended portion of the links or levers 6| to which the spring 61 is attached, moves about the pivot point 65 The initial movement of the extended portion of the links Bl, when the cover is moved to itsopen position, is in a direction which first permits the shortening of the spring 67 and thus serves to lessen the manual effort required for the initial opening movement of the cover. After the cover has been opened a certain amount, the movement of the extended portion of the links 6|, serves to stretch the spring 61 so that the subsequent movement of the cover is resiliently restrained and the spring serves to counterbalance the weight of the cover so that upon closing movement of the cover, the spring assists the operator as the cover is initially moved to its closed position and subsequently operates to restrain the final movement of the cover. It is, of course, apparentfrom a consideration of Figure 11 of the drawings, that the action of the spring during the initial movement of the cover when moved from closed to open position, and conversely when moved from open to closed position, depends in a large measure upon the distance that the point of attachment between the spring and the extended portion of the link extends to one side or the other of a straight line passing through the pivot point 65 and the point of attachment between the spring and the cover. In the present instance, the parts just referred to are arranged so that the spring renders more assistance in the initial movement of the cover from open to closed position than it does in the initial movement of the cover from closed to open position, this being for the reason that in the absence of a spring, very little manual effort would be required in effecting the initial opening movement of the cover, and on the other hand, if the spring were not used, a very considerablemanual effort would be necessary in order to initially move the cover in its closing direction. The various elements of the structure under discussion were designed so as to appreach, as closely as mechanical limitations would permit, the ideal situation in which the cover would be perfectly counterbalanced for every point of its movement, so that the manual efiort required on the part of the operator would be merely that of overcoming the friction of the moving parts.

Many mechanical and electrical details have been omitted from this specification as the invention does not depend for its novelty on such details and in the prior art there can be found many examples of ironing and electrical mechanisms suitable for the purposes described.

Furthermore it is to be understood that the particular forms of apparatus shown and derelatively movable parts secured respectively to said cover and to said supporting structure and straps pivotally connected to said cover and to said supporting structure for securing said cover to said structure for movement to cover and uncover said ironing means.

2. An. ironingsmachine comprising a supporting structure, ironing means carried thereby, a

' box-like cover structure for said ironing means and means connecting said two structures whereby the cover may be moved to an open position to expose the ironing means for use, comprising a guide-way formed in one of said structures, said guideway providing an elongated slot and means carried by the other of said structures extending into said guide-way, whereby the cover structure is mounted for pivotal and relative sliding movement with respect to the supporting structure.

3. An ironing machine comprising a supporting structure, ironing means carried thereby, a box-like cover structure for said ironing means and means connecting said two structures whereby the cover may be moved to an open position to expose the ironing means for use, comprising a guide-way formed in one of said structures, said guideway providing an elongated slot and means carried by the other of said structures extending into said guide-way, said last-named means being circular-in cross section so as to provide for pivotal and relative sliding movement in said guide way.

EDMUND J. TE PAS. ,LELIO A. BO'I'ITNELLI.

JOHN J. McCABE. 

